Updated How to Change Pitch without Losing Quality in Audacity?

Updated How to Change Pitch without Losing Quality in Audacity?

Jacob Lv12

How to Change Pitch without Losing Quality in Audacity?

You may raise or lower the pitch of a pre-recorded song. Likewise, you may apply the pitch-changing effect in real-time sound recording. Change in pitch affects your noise in certain ways. For instance, it can help you sound younger. Similarly, it can convert the male voice into a female voice. Another notable use of the pitch-changing technique is that you can produce sounds like cartoons. So, changing pitch can add a unique touch to your voice. You can also change pitch when recording in Audacity. The following article covers details about the Audacity change pitch feature. Let’s get started.

In this article

01 What is pitch, and how does it work?

02 How to Change Pitch in Audacity?

Part 1: What is pitch, and how does it work?

Not all sounds are the same. Some vary in terms of amplitude, which makes them loud or quiet. In contrast, others vary in terms of pitch, which makes them high or low. Pitch is used to differentiate between the acute and flat notes in a sound wave. High-pitched sounds are likely to be shrilling, whereas the lower-pitched will be bassy. Pitch depends upon the frequency of the sound waves producing them. In short, notes at a higher frequency are high-pitched.

On the contrary, notes at lower frequencies are low-pitched. Changing a pitch of noise from low to high or vice versa is an art. Thus, sound recording and editing applications like Audacity come with the in-built effect that enables you to change the pitch of a sound.

Part 2: How to Change Pitch in Audacity?

Sound editing is becoming increasingly popular in music and other relevant industries. Several applications offer sound editing tools to serve the needs of the people. Pitch-changing is one of the common tools that people look for in sound editors.

Audacity is one of the notable software that allows users to change the pitch of the voice. It comes with an Audacity pitch shift mechanism to facilitate users. So, if you are editing sound in Audacity, changing the pitch is just a matter of a few clicks. Are you still wondering how you can apply the Audacity change pitch technique when editing? Here’s how you can do it in simple steps.

Step 1: Select the audio portion

Launch Audacity and add sound recordings you want to edit. Click on the timeline and drag to select the portion of the sound.

Note: Only the portion whose pitch you want to change.

select audio portion to change pitch audacity

Step 2: Open Effect menu

Click on the Effect tab at the top right of the screen next to Generate. Select Pitch Change from the drop-down menu.

Note: You can also make other changes, such as Change Speed and Change Tempo option will let you alter the speed of the sound. So, the pitch can also be altered using this process.

audacity effect change pitch

Step 3: Adjust pitch

Drag the slider to alter the pitch of the sound and press the OK button to apply changes.

Note: To increase pitch, slide towards the right. Similarly, slide towards the left to a lower pitch. In addition, the pitch can also be changed by configuring From and To parameters.

audacity change pitch without changing tempo

Bonus Section: How to Adjust Sound Louder in Audacity?

Volume in an audio file may or may not be ideal for use. Sometimes, the sound is too loud or low. Audacity can help you in such a situation. So, if you are editing sound recordings in Audacity, you can also fix the volume of the sound. The good thing to note is that you can adjust the sound in both directions, which implies you can easily amplify or reduce the volume in these open-source applications. Are you interested in knowing about the volume adjustment process in Audacity? If yes, we have summarized the process in simple steps. Let’s take a look.

Step 1: Add an audio file

Launch the software and click on File. Select Open and select the desired audio.

Note: It is not recommended to change the volume through the playback volume knob at the top right corner of the screen, as this will only increase the volume in your device. However, the actual volume of the audio will remain unchanged.

open audacity audio file

Step 2: Increase/Decrease audio gain

Change the gain of the audio at the left-hand side of the screen. Move the slider to adjust the volume to the desired level.

adjust audio gain audacity sound louder

Note: Alternatively, you may also increase or increase the volume through the amplification process. To use this method, select the audio portion, access Effect, and tap Amplify. Tick allow clipping box and move the slider to set the volume of the sound.

Conclusion

There are high chances of audio sound not being in the required pitch or volume. Plus, you may also need to change the sound characteristics of an audio file for specific use. So, if this is the case, the Audacity change pitch technique is all you need to learn. Thus, we have summarized the process of changing pitch and volume in a step-by-step guide in this article. Hopefully, all your concerns will have been addressed.

02 How to Change Pitch in Audacity?

Part 1: What is pitch, and how does it work?

Not all sounds are the same. Some vary in terms of amplitude, which makes them loud or quiet. In contrast, others vary in terms of pitch, which makes them high or low. Pitch is used to differentiate between the acute and flat notes in a sound wave. High-pitched sounds are likely to be shrilling, whereas the lower-pitched will be bassy. Pitch depends upon the frequency of the sound waves producing them. In short, notes at a higher frequency are high-pitched.

On the contrary, notes at lower frequencies are low-pitched. Changing a pitch of noise from low to high or vice versa is an art. Thus, sound recording and editing applications like Audacity come with the in-built effect that enables you to change the pitch of a sound.

Part 2: How to Change Pitch in Audacity?

Sound editing is becoming increasingly popular in music and other relevant industries. Several applications offer sound editing tools to serve the needs of the people. Pitch-changing is one of the common tools that people look for in sound editors.

Audacity is one of the notable software that allows users to change the pitch of the voice. It comes with an Audacity pitch shift mechanism to facilitate users. So, if you are editing sound in Audacity, changing the pitch is just a matter of a few clicks. Are you still wondering how you can apply the Audacity change pitch technique when editing? Here’s how you can do it in simple steps.

Step 1: Select the audio portion

Launch Audacity and add sound recordings you want to edit. Click on the timeline and drag to select the portion of the sound.

Note: Only the portion whose pitch you want to change.

select audio portion to change pitch audacity

Step 2: Open Effect menu

Click on the Effect tab at the top right of the screen next to Generate. Select Pitch Change from the drop-down menu.

Note: You can also make other changes, such as Change Speed and Change Tempo option will let you alter the speed of the sound. So, the pitch can also be altered using this process.

audacity effect change pitch

Step 3: Adjust pitch

Drag the slider to alter the pitch of the sound and press the OK button to apply changes.

Note: To increase pitch, slide towards the right. Similarly, slide towards the left to a lower pitch. In addition, the pitch can also be changed by configuring From and To parameters.

audacity change pitch without changing tempo

Bonus Section: How to Adjust Sound Louder in Audacity?

Volume in an audio file may or may not be ideal for use. Sometimes, the sound is too loud or low. Audacity can help you in such a situation. So, if you are editing sound recordings in Audacity, you can also fix the volume of the sound. The good thing to note is that you can adjust the sound in both directions, which implies you can easily amplify or reduce the volume in these open-source applications. Are you interested in knowing about the volume adjustment process in Audacity? If yes, we have summarized the process in simple steps. Let’s take a look.

Step 1: Add an audio file

Launch the software and click on File. Select Open and select the desired audio.

Note: It is not recommended to change the volume through the playback volume knob at the top right corner of the screen, as this will only increase the volume in your device. However, the actual volume of the audio will remain unchanged.

open audacity audio file

Step 2: Increase/Decrease audio gain

Change the gain of the audio at the left-hand side of the screen. Move the slider to adjust the volume to the desired level.

adjust audio gain audacity sound louder

Note: Alternatively, you may also increase or increase the volume through the amplification process. To use this method, select the audio portion, access Effect, and tap Amplify. Tick allow clipping box and move the slider to set the volume of the sound.

Conclusion

There are high chances of audio sound not being in the required pitch or volume. Plus, you may also need to change the sound characteristics of an audio file for specific use. So, if this is the case, the Audacity change pitch technique is all you need to learn. Thus, we have summarized the process of changing pitch and volume in a step-by-step guide in this article. Hopefully, all your concerns will have been addressed.

02 How to Change Pitch in Audacity?

Part 1: What is pitch, and how does it work?

Not all sounds are the same. Some vary in terms of amplitude, which makes them loud or quiet. In contrast, others vary in terms of pitch, which makes them high or low. Pitch is used to differentiate between the acute and flat notes in a sound wave. High-pitched sounds are likely to be shrilling, whereas the lower-pitched will be bassy. Pitch depends upon the frequency of the sound waves producing them. In short, notes at a higher frequency are high-pitched.

On the contrary, notes at lower frequencies are low-pitched. Changing a pitch of noise from low to high or vice versa is an art. Thus, sound recording and editing applications like Audacity come with the in-built effect that enables you to change the pitch of a sound.

Part 2: How to Change Pitch in Audacity?

Sound editing is becoming increasingly popular in music and other relevant industries. Several applications offer sound editing tools to serve the needs of the people. Pitch-changing is one of the common tools that people look for in sound editors.

Audacity is one of the notable software that allows users to change the pitch of the voice. It comes with an Audacity pitch shift mechanism to facilitate users. So, if you are editing sound in Audacity, changing the pitch is just a matter of a few clicks. Are you still wondering how you can apply the Audacity change pitch technique when editing? Here’s how you can do it in simple steps.

Step 1: Select the audio portion

Launch Audacity and add sound recordings you want to edit. Click on the timeline and drag to select the portion of the sound.

Note: Only the portion whose pitch you want to change.

select audio portion to change pitch audacity

Step 2: Open Effect menu

Click on the Effect tab at the top right of the screen next to Generate. Select Pitch Change from the drop-down menu.

Note: You can also make other changes, such as Change Speed and Change Tempo option will let you alter the speed of the sound. So, the pitch can also be altered using this process.

audacity effect change pitch

Step 3: Adjust pitch

Drag the slider to alter the pitch of the sound and press the OK button to apply changes.

Note: To increase pitch, slide towards the right. Similarly, slide towards the left to a lower pitch. In addition, the pitch can also be changed by configuring From and To parameters.

audacity change pitch without changing tempo

Bonus Section: How to Adjust Sound Louder in Audacity?

Volume in an audio file may or may not be ideal for use. Sometimes, the sound is too loud or low. Audacity can help you in such a situation. So, if you are editing sound recordings in Audacity, you can also fix the volume of the sound. The good thing to note is that you can adjust the sound in both directions, which implies you can easily amplify or reduce the volume in these open-source applications. Are you interested in knowing about the volume adjustment process in Audacity? If yes, we have summarized the process in simple steps. Let’s take a look.

Step 1: Add an audio file

Launch the software and click on File. Select Open and select the desired audio.

Note: It is not recommended to change the volume through the playback volume knob at the top right corner of the screen, as this will only increase the volume in your device. However, the actual volume of the audio will remain unchanged.

open audacity audio file

Step 2: Increase/Decrease audio gain

Change the gain of the audio at the left-hand side of the screen. Move the slider to adjust the volume to the desired level.

adjust audio gain audacity sound louder

Note: Alternatively, you may also increase or increase the volume through the amplification process. To use this method, select the audio portion, access Effect, and tap Amplify. Tick allow clipping box and move the slider to set the volume of the sound.

Conclusion

There are high chances of audio sound not being in the required pitch or volume. Plus, you may also need to change the sound characteristics of an audio file for specific use. So, if this is the case, the Audacity change pitch technique is all you need to learn. Thus, we have summarized the process of changing pitch and volume in a step-by-step guide in this article. Hopefully, all your concerns will have been addressed.

02 How to Change Pitch in Audacity?

Part 1: What is pitch, and how does it work?

Not all sounds are the same. Some vary in terms of amplitude, which makes them loud or quiet. In contrast, others vary in terms of pitch, which makes them high or low. Pitch is used to differentiate between the acute and flat notes in a sound wave. High-pitched sounds are likely to be shrilling, whereas the lower-pitched will be bassy. Pitch depends upon the frequency of the sound waves producing them. In short, notes at a higher frequency are high-pitched.

On the contrary, notes at lower frequencies are low-pitched. Changing a pitch of noise from low to high or vice versa is an art. Thus, sound recording and editing applications like Audacity come with the in-built effect that enables you to change the pitch of a sound.

Part 2: How to Change Pitch in Audacity?

Sound editing is becoming increasingly popular in music and other relevant industries. Several applications offer sound editing tools to serve the needs of the people. Pitch-changing is one of the common tools that people look for in sound editors.

Audacity is one of the notable software that allows users to change the pitch of the voice. It comes with an Audacity pitch shift mechanism to facilitate users. So, if you are editing sound in Audacity, changing the pitch is just a matter of a few clicks. Are you still wondering how you can apply the Audacity change pitch technique when editing? Here’s how you can do it in simple steps.

Step 1: Select the audio portion

Launch Audacity and add sound recordings you want to edit. Click on the timeline and drag to select the portion of the sound.

Note: Only the portion whose pitch you want to change.

select audio portion to change pitch audacity

Step 2: Open Effect menu

Click on the Effect tab at the top right of the screen next to Generate. Select Pitch Change from the drop-down menu.

Note: You can also make other changes, such as Change Speed and Change Tempo option will let you alter the speed of the sound. So, the pitch can also be altered using this process.

audacity effect change pitch

Step 3: Adjust pitch

Drag the slider to alter the pitch of the sound and press the OK button to apply changes.

Note: To increase pitch, slide towards the right. Similarly, slide towards the left to a lower pitch. In addition, the pitch can also be changed by configuring From and To parameters.

audacity change pitch without changing tempo

Bonus Section: How to Adjust Sound Louder in Audacity?

Volume in an audio file may or may not be ideal for use. Sometimes, the sound is too loud or low. Audacity can help you in such a situation. So, if you are editing sound recordings in Audacity, you can also fix the volume of the sound. The good thing to note is that you can adjust the sound in both directions, which implies you can easily amplify or reduce the volume in these open-source applications. Are you interested in knowing about the volume adjustment process in Audacity? If yes, we have summarized the process in simple steps. Let’s take a look.

Step 1: Add an audio file

Launch the software and click on File. Select Open and select the desired audio.

Note: It is not recommended to change the volume through the playback volume knob at the top right corner of the screen, as this will only increase the volume in your device. However, the actual volume of the audio will remain unchanged.

open audacity audio file

Step 2: Increase/Decrease audio gain

Change the gain of the audio at the left-hand side of the screen. Move the slider to adjust the volume to the desired level.

adjust audio gain audacity sound louder

Note: Alternatively, you may also increase or increase the volume through the amplification process. To use this method, select the audio portion, access Effect, and tap Amplify. Tick allow clipping box and move the slider to set the volume of the sound.

Conclusion

There are high chances of audio sound not being in the required pitch or volume. Plus, you may also need to change the sound characteristics of an audio file for specific use. So, if this is the case, the Audacity change pitch technique is all you need to learn. Thus, we have summarized the process of changing pitch and volume in a step-by-step guide in this article. Hopefully, all your concerns will have been addressed.

Ultimate Guide to Clear Sound: Eradicating Audio Distortion in Multimedia Projects

Create High-Quality Video - Wondershare Filmora

An easy and powerful YouTube video editor

Numerous video and audio effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials are provided by the official channel

Try It Free Try It Free

Whether you are in the business of shooting or editing, noisy or distorted footage is among the most frustrating roadblocks you’ll ever encounter in your workflow. The magic of filmmaking lies after the scenes in post-production. You can remove distortion from audio using various methods.

In this article

01 What Is Distortion in Audio?

02 The Difference Between Noise and Distortion

03 How to Remove Distortion From Audio for Your Video

What Is Distortion in Audio?

You have probably heard the term distortion and would like to know what it is. Distortion is a common term in music production.

Although the term is simple, there is more than meets the eye. Distortion is defined as the change or deformation of an audio waveform that results in the production of an audio output that is different from the input. Distortion can occur at a single point or multiple points in a specific signal chain.

While there are many types of audio distortion, the most common one is clipping. It occurs when an audio signal is amplified beyond the maximum allowed unit in both analog and digital systems.

A signal is distorted when an output does not record the same signal as the input. The issue can occur due to amplifier clipping, faulty equipment, overloading of a sound source, production of hot signals, and pushing speakers beyond their limit.

In the past, people perceived distortion as a bad thing. Today, however, some kinds of distortions are considered beneficial because of their positive effect on the sound. Sound engineers apply plugins, outboard gear, and other techniques to add pleasing distortions to audios. The distortions work by adding unique elements to audios, thus improving sounds in many instances.

The Difference Between Noise and Distortion

Noise and distortion can sound very similar and hard to tell apart. However, the two are different phenomena with unique characteristics. Noise is an undesired disturbance that sounds white or pink and creates an even-tempered sound wave. On the other hand, distortion is the alteration of a waveform, where some parts are amplified while others are attenuated, leading to an uneven distribution of energy among frequencies. Let’s look at the differences between noise and distortion.

1. Where It Appears in a Signal

Noise appears randomly throughout the signal, while distortion seems at the same frequency. One example of noise is an audio hiss that can be heard when no other sounds are present. An example of distortion is a sine wave with a flat top and bottom combined with different amplitudes.

2. How It Affects Signals

Noise is random and can appear when signals are quiet. Distortion is affected by the input signal and can be altered by adding or removing signal frequencies.

How It’s Measured

You can measure distortion by using an oscilloscope to display the input signal’s waveform over time. The oscilloscope measures energy distribution among different frequencies, while you can measure noise with a spectrum analyzer by displaying an audio signal’s magnitude and frequency content over time.

Despite their differences, noise and distortion are both unwanted sounds. When they are present in a signal, they can degrade its quality. For this reason, it is essential to understand the differences between them to assess signs and produce better results accurately.

How to Remove Distortion From Audio for Your Video

You can use several different methods to remove audio distortion in your video. They include:

Method 1: Use an Online Audio Distortion Tool

You can use an online distortion tool to fix this problem. One of the popular tools for removing distortion from audio is Audacity. Available for Linux, macOS, Windows, and other Unix-like operating systems, Audacity is a FOSS (free and open-source digital audio editor software). It is also a recording application software, and you can use the program for varying tasks, including conversing audio files, removing audio distortion, adding effects, and mixing audio clips.

Keeping this in mind, let’s look at how to remove distortion from audio using Audacity.

  1. The first step is opening the file. To do this, drag and drop the audio file into Audacity.
  2. Next, you need to select the distorted area before clicking on Effect. Once you have done this, click on the Noise Reduction option.

remove audio distortion from video using audacity

  1. Doing this will open the Noise reduction window.
  2. Go to the Noise Profile and click on it; this will allow Audacity to know what it should filter out.

remove audio distortion from video using audacity

  1. Now, select the whole audio before reopening the Noise Reduction Window. Set the values as you see necessary.
  2. Check the audio by clicking Preview. If you are satisfied with the results, click OK.
  3. Be sure to apply the filter again if your audio is still distorted. Avoid doing it excessively, as the audio could be degraded. In turn, this can lead to the voice sounding robotic and tinny.

Method 2: Software Solutions - Adobe Audition

You can remove distortion from audio using specialized audio editing software. One of the professional audio tools that you can use to fix audio distortion is Adobe Audition; this software allows you to carve out any unwanted sound for impressive results.

These steps below will allow you to remove distortion from audio with Adobe Audition.

  1. Double click on the track to access the Waveform.
  2. Go to Window, and then select the Amplitude Statistics option.
  3. A new window will open. Now, hit the Scan button in the left corner. The software will then scan the audio.

remove audio distortion from video using Audition

  1. Check the section written Possibly Clipped Samples.

how to remove audio distortion from video using Audition

  1. Head over to Effects>Diagnostics> DeClipper.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition

  1. In the Preset section, select the Restore Heavily Clipped option.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition - select Heavily Clipped Option

  1. Next, hit the Settings button, and adjust the Tolerance.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition - adjust tolerance

  1. Hit the Scan button again, and you’ll see all the problems in your audio.
  2. Click Repair all to fix your distorted audio.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition - repair all

  1. Alternatively, you could head to Effects Rack and click on Filter and EQ, then FFT Filter.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition - FFT Filter

  1. Put the Preset option to Default settings. Take out a few of the frequencies where your audio is distorted.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition - take out frequency

Method 3: Video Editing Tools like VSDC

When it comes to removing distortion from audio, you can use video editing tools to fix this problem. VSDC is one of the non-linear editing applications that people use to remove audio distortion.

Follow the steps below to learn how to remove distortion from audio using VSDC.

  1. Upload your footage to VSDC and right-click on it.
  2. Select the Audio effects option, then choose Filters. Click on Gate.

how to remove audio distortion using VSDC

  1. You will see the Properties window. Here, you will find all the parameters that you need to fix your audio problems, including distortion.

remove audio distortion using VSDC

The Gate filter allows users to control how fast and when the gate opens and what sort of sounds can get in.

  • Threshold: This is the level of the decibel at which the gate opens. Set it based on the loudness of the audio distortion.
  • Attack: This parameter defines how fast the gate will open. Essentially, the higher the attack value, the slower the gate opens. /li>
  • Knee: With this parameter, you can control the response of the compressor to the signal that’s crossing the threshold. That means you can apply compression with a delay or instantly.
  • Make-up gain: This increases the signal level after it has been processed.
  • Ratio: This value controls compression applied to the distortion. It defines how quieter the distortion will be after gating.
  • Reduction: This parameter defines the level of signal reduction will be.
  • Release: This value defines how fast the gate will close after opening. You can change the Release parameter to suit your preferences.

Method 4:Normalize Your Audio with Filmora Audio Equalizer

Filmora is a video editing software that you can use to shoot, edit, and share clips with other people. It provides an easy-to-use interface that has made it one of the most popular choices for independent filmmakers. Filmora also offers audio equalizer effects designed for professional sound designers who want to work on projects with their voice-over recordings.

You can normalize your audio with Filmora by following the three simple steps below:

Step 1. Open Filmora and Import your file

First, open up Filmora and open your audio file. It can be any format you have except MOV from Apple devices like iPhone or iPad. Then, select the Media tab on the top of Filmora’s main window to import your media file.

Step 2. Adjust the Levels

Next, click the Levels option on Filmora’s left panel, where you will find three options: Gain, Equalize, and Normalizer. You can use this to adjust your audio level to be loud enough without being too loud. The normalizer helps you ensure that your audio is at a consistent level throughout the recording. You can use it both for music or voice-over recordings.

remove audio distortion with Filmora

Step 3. Export Your File

Finally, you may export it when you have made the necessary adjustments to your audio file. Just click the File tab in Filmora’s main window and select Export. Many options are available for exporting your media file, including an output profile setting where you may choose MP4, AVI, or WMV and upload to Facebook, Youtube, and Vimeo.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Conclusion

Normalizing your audio file is not a complicated process, but it does require some technical knowledge. However, your audio will sound excellent and professional if you follow the steps above. You can use Filmora’s audio equalizer effects to normalize your video.

Try It Free Try It Free

Whether you are in the business of shooting or editing, noisy or distorted footage is among the most frustrating roadblocks you’ll ever encounter in your workflow. The magic of filmmaking lies after the scenes in post-production. You can remove distortion from audio using various methods.

In this article

01 What Is Distortion in Audio?

02 The Difference Between Noise and Distortion

03 How to Remove Distortion From Audio for Your Video

What Is Distortion in Audio?

You have probably heard the term distortion and would like to know what it is. Distortion is a common term in music production.

Although the term is simple, there is more than meets the eye. Distortion is defined as the change or deformation of an audio waveform that results in the production of an audio output that is different from the input. Distortion can occur at a single point or multiple points in a specific signal chain.

While there are many types of audio distortion, the most common one is clipping. It occurs when an audio signal is amplified beyond the maximum allowed unit in both analog and digital systems.

A signal is distorted when an output does not record the same signal as the input. The issue can occur due to amplifier clipping, faulty equipment, overloading of a sound source, production of hot signals, and pushing speakers beyond their limit.

In the past, people perceived distortion as a bad thing. Today, however, some kinds of distortions are considered beneficial because of their positive effect on the sound. Sound engineers apply plugins, outboard gear, and other techniques to add pleasing distortions to audios. The distortions work by adding unique elements to audios, thus improving sounds in many instances.

The Difference Between Noise and Distortion

Noise and distortion can sound very similar and hard to tell apart. However, the two are different phenomena with unique characteristics. Noise is an undesired disturbance that sounds white or pink and creates an even-tempered sound wave. On the other hand, distortion is the alteration of a waveform, where some parts are amplified while others are attenuated, leading to an uneven distribution of energy among frequencies. Let’s look at the differences between noise and distortion.

1. Where It Appears in a Signal

Noise appears randomly throughout the signal, while distortion seems at the same frequency. One example of noise is an audio hiss that can be heard when no other sounds are present. An example of distortion is a sine wave with a flat top and bottom combined with different amplitudes.

2. How It Affects Signals

Noise is random and can appear when signals are quiet. Distortion is affected by the input signal and can be altered by adding or removing signal frequencies.

How It’s Measured

You can measure distortion by using an oscilloscope to display the input signal’s waveform over time. The oscilloscope measures energy distribution among different frequencies, while you can measure noise with a spectrum analyzer by displaying an audio signal’s magnitude and frequency content over time.

Despite their differences, noise and distortion are both unwanted sounds. When they are present in a signal, they can degrade its quality. For this reason, it is essential to understand the differences between them to assess signs and produce better results accurately.

How to Remove Distortion From Audio for Your Video

You can use several different methods to remove audio distortion in your video. They include:

Method 1: Use an Online Audio Distortion Tool

You can use an online distortion tool to fix this problem. One of the popular tools for removing distortion from audio is Audacity. Available for Linux, macOS, Windows, and other Unix-like operating systems, Audacity is a FOSS (free and open-source digital audio editor software). It is also a recording application software, and you can use the program for varying tasks, including conversing audio files, removing audio distortion, adding effects, and mixing audio clips.

Keeping this in mind, let’s look at how to remove distortion from audio using Audacity.

  1. The first step is opening the file. To do this, drag and drop the audio file into Audacity.
  2. Next, you need to select the distorted area before clicking on Effect. Once you have done this, click on the Noise Reduction option.

remove audio distortion from video using audacity

  1. Doing this will open the Noise reduction window.
  2. Go to the Noise Profile and click on it; this will allow Audacity to know what it should filter out.

remove audio distortion from video using audacity

  1. Now, select the whole audio before reopening the Noise Reduction Window. Set the values as you see necessary.
  2. Check the audio by clicking Preview. If you are satisfied with the results, click OK.
  3. Be sure to apply the filter again if your audio is still distorted. Avoid doing it excessively, as the audio could be degraded. In turn, this can lead to the voice sounding robotic and tinny.

Method 2: Software Solutions - Adobe Audition

You can remove distortion from audio using specialized audio editing software. One of the professional audio tools that you can use to fix audio distortion is Adobe Audition; this software allows you to carve out any unwanted sound for impressive results.

These steps below will allow you to remove distortion from audio with Adobe Audition.

  1. Double click on the track to access the Waveform.
  2. Go to Window, and then select the Amplitude Statistics option.
  3. A new window will open. Now, hit the Scan button in the left corner. The software will then scan the audio.

remove audio distortion from video using Audition

  1. Check the section written Possibly Clipped Samples.

how to remove audio distortion from video using Audition

  1. Head over to Effects>Diagnostics> DeClipper.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition

  1. In the Preset section, select the Restore Heavily Clipped option.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition - select Heavily Clipped Option

  1. Next, hit the Settings button, and adjust the Tolerance.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition - adjust tolerance

  1. Hit the Scan button again, and you’ll see all the problems in your audio.
  2. Click Repair all to fix your distorted audio.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition - repair all

  1. Alternatively, you could head to Effects Rack and click on Filter and EQ, then FFT Filter.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition - FFT Filter

  1. Put the Preset option to Default settings. Take out a few of the frequencies where your audio is distorted.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition - take out frequency

Method 3: Video Editing Tools like VSDC

When it comes to removing distortion from audio, you can use video editing tools to fix this problem. VSDC is one of the non-linear editing applications that people use to remove audio distortion.

Follow the steps below to learn how to remove distortion from audio using VSDC.

  1. Upload your footage to VSDC and right-click on it.
  2. Select the Audio effects option, then choose Filters. Click on Gate.

how to remove audio distortion using VSDC

  1. You will see the Properties window. Here, you will find all the parameters that you need to fix your audio problems, including distortion.

remove audio distortion using VSDC

The Gate filter allows users to control how fast and when the gate opens and what sort of sounds can get in.

  • Threshold: This is the level of the decibel at which the gate opens. Set it based on the loudness of the audio distortion.
  • Attack: This parameter defines how fast the gate will open. Essentially, the higher the attack value, the slower the gate opens. /li>
  • Knee: With this parameter, you can control the response of the compressor to the signal that’s crossing the threshold. That means you can apply compression with a delay or instantly.
  • Make-up gain: This increases the signal level after it has been processed.
  • Ratio: This value controls compression applied to the distortion. It defines how quieter the distortion will be after gating.
  • Reduction: This parameter defines the level of signal reduction will be.
  • Release: This value defines how fast the gate will close after opening. You can change the Release parameter to suit your preferences.

Method 4:Normalize Your Audio with Filmora Audio Equalizer

Filmora is a video editing software that you can use to shoot, edit, and share clips with other people. It provides an easy-to-use interface that has made it one of the most popular choices for independent filmmakers. Filmora also offers audio equalizer effects designed for professional sound designers who want to work on projects with their voice-over recordings.

You can normalize your audio with Filmora by following the three simple steps below:

Step 1. Open Filmora and Import your file

First, open up Filmora and open your audio file. It can be any format you have except MOV from Apple devices like iPhone or iPad. Then, select the Media tab on the top of Filmora’s main window to import your media file.

Step 2. Adjust the Levels

Next, click the Levels option on Filmora’s left panel, where you will find three options: Gain, Equalize, and Normalizer. You can use this to adjust your audio level to be loud enough without being too loud. The normalizer helps you ensure that your audio is at a consistent level throughout the recording. You can use it both for music or voice-over recordings.

remove audio distortion with Filmora

Step 3. Export Your File

Finally, you may export it when you have made the necessary adjustments to your audio file. Just click the File tab in Filmora’s main window and select Export. Many options are available for exporting your media file, including an output profile setting where you may choose MP4, AVI, or WMV and upload to Facebook, Youtube, and Vimeo.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Conclusion

Normalizing your audio file is not a complicated process, but it does require some technical knowledge. However, your audio will sound excellent and professional if you follow the steps above. You can use Filmora’s audio equalizer effects to normalize your video.

Try It Free Try It Free

Whether you are in the business of shooting or editing, noisy or distorted footage is among the most frustrating roadblocks you’ll ever encounter in your workflow. The magic of filmmaking lies after the scenes in post-production. You can remove distortion from audio using various methods.

In this article

01 What Is Distortion in Audio?

02 The Difference Between Noise and Distortion

03 How to Remove Distortion From Audio for Your Video

What Is Distortion in Audio?

You have probably heard the term distortion and would like to know what it is. Distortion is a common term in music production.

Although the term is simple, there is more than meets the eye. Distortion is defined as the change or deformation of an audio waveform that results in the production of an audio output that is different from the input. Distortion can occur at a single point or multiple points in a specific signal chain.

While there are many types of audio distortion, the most common one is clipping. It occurs when an audio signal is amplified beyond the maximum allowed unit in both analog and digital systems.

A signal is distorted when an output does not record the same signal as the input. The issue can occur due to amplifier clipping, faulty equipment, overloading of a sound source, production of hot signals, and pushing speakers beyond their limit.

In the past, people perceived distortion as a bad thing. Today, however, some kinds of distortions are considered beneficial because of their positive effect on the sound. Sound engineers apply plugins, outboard gear, and other techniques to add pleasing distortions to audios. The distortions work by adding unique elements to audios, thus improving sounds in many instances.

The Difference Between Noise and Distortion

Noise and distortion can sound very similar and hard to tell apart. However, the two are different phenomena with unique characteristics. Noise is an undesired disturbance that sounds white or pink and creates an even-tempered sound wave. On the other hand, distortion is the alteration of a waveform, where some parts are amplified while others are attenuated, leading to an uneven distribution of energy among frequencies. Let’s look at the differences between noise and distortion.

1. Where It Appears in a Signal

Noise appears randomly throughout the signal, while distortion seems at the same frequency. One example of noise is an audio hiss that can be heard when no other sounds are present. An example of distortion is a sine wave with a flat top and bottom combined with different amplitudes.

2. How It Affects Signals

Noise is random and can appear when signals are quiet. Distortion is affected by the input signal and can be altered by adding or removing signal frequencies.

How It’s Measured

You can measure distortion by using an oscilloscope to display the input signal’s waveform over time. The oscilloscope measures energy distribution among different frequencies, while you can measure noise with a spectrum analyzer by displaying an audio signal’s magnitude and frequency content over time.

Despite their differences, noise and distortion are both unwanted sounds. When they are present in a signal, they can degrade its quality. For this reason, it is essential to understand the differences between them to assess signs and produce better results accurately.

How to Remove Distortion From Audio for Your Video

You can use several different methods to remove audio distortion in your video. They include:

Method 1: Use an Online Audio Distortion Tool

You can use an online distortion tool to fix this problem. One of the popular tools for removing distortion from audio is Audacity. Available for Linux, macOS, Windows, and other Unix-like operating systems, Audacity is a FOSS (free and open-source digital audio editor software). It is also a recording application software, and you can use the program for varying tasks, including conversing audio files, removing audio distortion, adding effects, and mixing audio clips.

Keeping this in mind, let’s look at how to remove distortion from audio using Audacity.

  1. The first step is opening the file. To do this, drag and drop the audio file into Audacity.
  2. Next, you need to select the distorted area before clicking on Effect. Once you have done this, click on the Noise Reduction option.

remove audio distortion from video using audacity

  1. Doing this will open the Noise reduction window.
  2. Go to the Noise Profile and click on it; this will allow Audacity to know what it should filter out.

remove audio distortion from video using audacity

  1. Now, select the whole audio before reopening the Noise Reduction Window. Set the values as you see necessary.
  2. Check the audio by clicking Preview. If you are satisfied with the results, click OK.
  3. Be sure to apply the filter again if your audio is still distorted. Avoid doing it excessively, as the audio could be degraded. In turn, this can lead to the voice sounding robotic and tinny.

Method 2: Software Solutions - Adobe Audition

You can remove distortion from audio using specialized audio editing software. One of the professional audio tools that you can use to fix audio distortion is Adobe Audition; this software allows you to carve out any unwanted sound for impressive results.

These steps below will allow you to remove distortion from audio with Adobe Audition.

  1. Double click on the track to access the Waveform.
  2. Go to Window, and then select the Amplitude Statistics option.
  3. A new window will open. Now, hit the Scan button in the left corner. The software will then scan the audio.

remove audio distortion from video using Audition

  1. Check the section written Possibly Clipped Samples.

how to remove audio distortion from video using Audition

  1. Head over to Effects>Diagnostics> DeClipper.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition

  1. In the Preset section, select the Restore Heavily Clipped option.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition - select Heavily Clipped Option

  1. Next, hit the Settings button, and adjust the Tolerance.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition - adjust tolerance

  1. Hit the Scan button again, and you’ll see all the problems in your audio.
  2. Click Repair all to fix your distorted audio.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition - repair all

  1. Alternatively, you could head to Effects Rack and click on Filter and EQ, then FFT Filter.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition - FFT Filter

  1. Put the Preset option to Default settings. Take out a few of the frequencies where your audio is distorted.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition - take out frequency

Method 3: Video Editing Tools like VSDC

When it comes to removing distortion from audio, you can use video editing tools to fix this problem. VSDC is one of the non-linear editing applications that people use to remove audio distortion.

Follow the steps below to learn how to remove distortion from audio using VSDC.

  1. Upload your footage to VSDC and right-click on it.
  2. Select the Audio effects option, then choose Filters. Click on Gate.

how to remove audio distortion using VSDC

  1. You will see the Properties window. Here, you will find all the parameters that you need to fix your audio problems, including distortion.

remove audio distortion using VSDC

The Gate filter allows users to control how fast and when the gate opens and what sort of sounds can get in.

  • Threshold: This is the level of the decibel at which the gate opens. Set it based on the loudness of the audio distortion.
  • Attack: This parameter defines how fast the gate will open. Essentially, the higher the attack value, the slower the gate opens. /li>
  • Knee: With this parameter, you can control the response of the compressor to the signal that’s crossing the threshold. That means you can apply compression with a delay or instantly.
  • Make-up gain: This increases the signal level after it has been processed.
  • Ratio: This value controls compression applied to the distortion. It defines how quieter the distortion will be after gating.
  • Reduction: This parameter defines the level of signal reduction will be.
  • Release: This value defines how fast the gate will close after opening. You can change the Release parameter to suit your preferences.

Method 4:Normalize Your Audio with Filmora Audio Equalizer

Filmora is a video editing software that you can use to shoot, edit, and share clips with other people. It provides an easy-to-use interface that has made it one of the most popular choices for independent filmmakers. Filmora also offers audio equalizer effects designed for professional sound designers who want to work on projects with their voice-over recordings.

You can normalize your audio with Filmora by following the three simple steps below:

Step 1. Open Filmora and Import your file

First, open up Filmora and open your audio file. It can be any format you have except MOV from Apple devices like iPhone or iPad. Then, select the Media tab on the top of Filmora’s main window to import your media file.

Step 2. Adjust the Levels

Next, click the Levels option on Filmora’s left panel, where you will find three options: Gain, Equalize, and Normalizer. You can use this to adjust your audio level to be loud enough without being too loud. The normalizer helps you ensure that your audio is at a consistent level throughout the recording. You can use it both for music or voice-over recordings.

remove audio distortion with Filmora

Step 3. Export Your File

Finally, you may export it when you have made the necessary adjustments to your audio file. Just click the File tab in Filmora’s main window and select Export. Many options are available for exporting your media file, including an output profile setting where you may choose MP4, AVI, or WMV and upload to Facebook, Youtube, and Vimeo.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Conclusion

Normalizing your audio file is not a complicated process, but it does require some technical knowledge. However, your audio will sound excellent and professional if you follow the steps above. You can use Filmora’s audio equalizer effects to normalize your video.

Try It Free Try It Free

Whether you are in the business of shooting or editing, noisy or distorted footage is among the most frustrating roadblocks you’ll ever encounter in your workflow. The magic of filmmaking lies after the scenes in post-production. You can remove distortion from audio using various methods.

In this article

01 What Is Distortion in Audio?

02 The Difference Between Noise and Distortion

03 How to Remove Distortion From Audio for Your Video

What Is Distortion in Audio?

You have probably heard the term distortion and would like to know what it is. Distortion is a common term in music production.

Although the term is simple, there is more than meets the eye. Distortion is defined as the change or deformation of an audio waveform that results in the production of an audio output that is different from the input. Distortion can occur at a single point or multiple points in a specific signal chain.

While there are many types of audio distortion, the most common one is clipping. It occurs when an audio signal is amplified beyond the maximum allowed unit in both analog and digital systems.

A signal is distorted when an output does not record the same signal as the input. The issue can occur due to amplifier clipping, faulty equipment, overloading of a sound source, production of hot signals, and pushing speakers beyond their limit.

In the past, people perceived distortion as a bad thing. Today, however, some kinds of distortions are considered beneficial because of their positive effect on the sound. Sound engineers apply plugins, outboard gear, and other techniques to add pleasing distortions to audios. The distortions work by adding unique elements to audios, thus improving sounds in many instances.

The Difference Between Noise and Distortion

Noise and distortion can sound very similar and hard to tell apart. However, the two are different phenomena with unique characteristics. Noise is an undesired disturbance that sounds white or pink and creates an even-tempered sound wave. On the other hand, distortion is the alteration of a waveform, where some parts are amplified while others are attenuated, leading to an uneven distribution of energy among frequencies. Let’s look at the differences between noise and distortion.

1. Where It Appears in a Signal

Noise appears randomly throughout the signal, while distortion seems at the same frequency. One example of noise is an audio hiss that can be heard when no other sounds are present. An example of distortion is a sine wave with a flat top and bottom combined with different amplitudes.

2. How It Affects Signals

Noise is random and can appear when signals are quiet. Distortion is affected by the input signal and can be altered by adding or removing signal frequencies.

How It’s Measured

You can measure distortion by using an oscilloscope to display the input signal’s waveform over time. The oscilloscope measures energy distribution among different frequencies, while you can measure noise with a spectrum analyzer by displaying an audio signal’s magnitude and frequency content over time.

Despite their differences, noise and distortion are both unwanted sounds. When they are present in a signal, they can degrade its quality. For this reason, it is essential to understand the differences between them to assess signs and produce better results accurately.

How to Remove Distortion From Audio for Your Video

You can use several different methods to remove audio distortion in your video. They include:

Method 1: Use an Online Audio Distortion Tool

You can use an online distortion tool to fix this problem. One of the popular tools for removing distortion from audio is Audacity. Available for Linux, macOS, Windows, and other Unix-like operating systems, Audacity is a FOSS (free and open-source digital audio editor software). It is also a recording application software, and you can use the program for varying tasks, including conversing audio files, removing audio distortion, adding effects, and mixing audio clips.

Keeping this in mind, let’s look at how to remove distortion from audio using Audacity.

  1. The first step is opening the file. To do this, drag and drop the audio file into Audacity.
  2. Next, you need to select the distorted area before clicking on Effect. Once you have done this, click on the Noise Reduction option.

remove audio distortion from video using audacity

  1. Doing this will open the Noise reduction window.
  2. Go to the Noise Profile and click on it; this will allow Audacity to know what it should filter out.

remove audio distortion from video using audacity

  1. Now, select the whole audio before reopening the Noise Reduction Window. Set the values as you see necessary.
  2. Check the audio by clicking Preview. If you are satisfied with the results, click OK.
  3. Be sure to apply the filter again if your audio is still distorted. Avoid doing it excessively, as the audio could be degraded. In turn, this can lead to the voice sounding robotic and tinny.

Method 2: Software Solutions - Adobe Audition

You can remove distortion from audio using specialized audio editing software. One of the professional audio tools that you can use to fix audio distortion is Adobe Audition; this software allows you to carve out any unwanted sound for impressive results.

These steps below will allow you to remove distortion from audio with Adobe Audition.

  1. Double click on the track to access the Waveform.
  2. Go to Window, and then select the Amplitude Statistics option.
  3. A new window will open. Now, hit the Scan button in the left corner. The software will then scan the audio.

remove audio distortion from video using Audition

  1. Check the section written Possibly Clipped Samples.

how to remove audio distortion from video using Audition

  1. Head over to Effects>Diagnostics> DeClipper.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition

  1. In the Preset section, select the Restore Heavily Clipped option.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition - select Heavily Clipped Option

  1. Next, hit the Settings button, and adjust the Tolerance.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition - adjust tolerance

  1. Hit the Scan button again, and you’ll see all the problems in your audio.
  2. Click Repair all to fix your distorted audio.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition - repair all

  1. Alternatively, you could head to Effects Rack and click on Filter and EQ, then FFT Filter.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition - FFT Filter

  1. Put the Preset option to Default settings. Take out a few of the frequencies where your audio is distorted.

how to remove audio distortion using Audition - take out frequency

Method 3: Video Editing Tools like VSDC

When it comes to removing distortion from audio, you can use video editing tools to fix this problem. VSDC is one of the non-linear editing applications that people use to remove audio distortion.

Follow the steps below to learn how to remove distortion from audio using VSDC.

  1. Upload your footage to VSDC and right-click on it.
  2. Select the Audio effects option, then choose Filters. Click on Gate.

how to remove audio distortion using VSDC

  1. You will see the Properties window. Here, you will find all the parameters that you need to fix your audio problems, including distortion.

remove audio distortion using VSDC

The Gate filter allows users to control how fast and when the gate opens and what sort of sounds can get in.

  • Threshold: This is the level of the decibel at which the gate opens. Set it based on the loudness of the audio distortion.
  • Attack: This parameter defines how fast the gate will open. Essentially, the higher the attack value, the slower the gate opens. /li>
  • Knee: With this parameter, you can control the response of the compressor to the signal that’s crossing the threshold. That means you can apply compression with a delay or instantly.
  • Make-up gain: This increases the signal level after it has been processed.
  • Ratio: This value controls compression applied to the distortion. It defines how quieter the distortion will be after gating.
  • Reduction: This parameter defines the level of signal reduction will be.
  • Release: This value defines how fast the gate will close after opening. You can change the Release parameter to suit your preferences.

Method 4:Normalize Your Audio with Filmora Audio Equalizer

Filmora is a video editing software that you can use to shoot, edit, and share clips with other people. It provides an easy-to-use interface that has made it one of the most popular choices for independent filmmakers. Filmora also offers audio equalizer effects designed for professional sound designers who want to work on projects with their voice-over recordings.

You can normalize your audio with Filmora by following the three simple steps below:

Step 1. Open Filmora and Import your file

First, open up Filmora and open your audio file. It can be any format you have except MOV from Apple devices like iPhone or iPad. Then, select the Media tab on the top of Filmora’s main window to import your media file.

Step 2. Adjust the Levels

Next, click the Levels option on Filmora’s left panel, where you will find three options: Gain, Equalize, and Normalizer. You can use this to adjust your audio level to be loud enough without being too loud. The normalizer helps you ensure that your audio is at a consistent level throughout the recording. You can use it both for music or voice-over recordings.

remove audio distortion with Filmora

Step 3. Export Your File

Finally, you may export it when you have made the necessary adjustments to your audio file. Just click the File tab in Filmora’s main window and select Export. Many options are available for exporting your media file, including an output profile setting where you may choose MP4, AVI, or WMV and upload to Facebook, Youtube, and Vimeo.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Conclusion

Normalizing your audio file is not a complicated process, but it does require some technical knowledge. However, your audio will sound excellent and professional if you follow the steps above. You can use Filmora’s audio equalizer effects to normalize your video.

An Insightful Guide to Determining Best Practices for Audio Format Selection

How to Choose Best Audio Formats

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The quality of sound that you hear depends on various factors, and an appropriate audio format is one of them. While each type of acoustic file has its own significance, choosing the best audio format as per the target player, expected audience, and/or supporting videos or images (if any) is something that needs much consideration to offer a flawless listening experience.

With that said, here you will learn about some of the most common sound file types, which among them could be the best audio format according to your requirements, and a couple of important points that you must keep in might while picking an extension for your media preparations.

Using Filmora to Record & Edit & Save Audio Easily

Wondershare Filmora is a simple yet robust video editing software that allows you to save a video to mp3 easily. Besides, if you want to remove background noise from audio, or change the audio volume or remove unwanted audio parts from the video, you should definitely try Filmora.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version


Part 1: 10 Most Common Audio Formats

Before listing the most common audio file formats, it is important to understand the categories of the sound files. Every audio format that exists belongs to one (or more) category depending on the way it is being created and the characteristics it has.

In a nutshell, there are three major categories, including:

  • Uncompressed Audio Format
  • Lossless Compressed Audio Format
  • Lossy Compressed Audio Format

Below is a brief introduction of each of the classes listed above along with the audio file types that belong to them:

1. Uncompressed Audio Format

Uncompressed audio is the original sound that has been recorded directly from the source in the analog form, and then converted to a digital signal without any modifications or compressions. Because an uncompressed sound is prepared with no retouching or manipulations, it gives an as-is listening experience. Since no compression is done on such a file either, it occupies a remarkably huge amount of space on your storage media.

Some sound files that fall under this category include:

1) Pulse-Code Modulation (PCM)

A PCM file is the digital version of an analog waveform that is created by recording the audio samples, technically known as pulses. The PCM format is mostly used when creating optical media discs, typically the CDs and DVDs.

2) Waveform Audio File Format (WAV)

Generally used on the Windows platform, this audio format is not a file itself but a container that may contain both compressed or uncompressed files. However, in most cases, it is the latter that a WAV file has, and PCM format is one of them.

You may also interest: YouTube to WAV >>

3) Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF)

AIFF is almost identical to WAV format in its characteristics with the only difference that, unlike the latter, it was developed by Apple somewhere in 1988, and works as a container for both compressed and uncompressed audio files. While the compressed version of the format is called AIFF-C, the term Apple Loop is used when the scenario is otherwise. As it is with WAV, even AIFF files mostly contain uncompressed audio, that usually is PCM.

You may also like: Best AIFF to MP3 Converters >>

4) Data Stream Digital (DSD)

Used by Sony and Phillips, DSD is also not a format itself but a container that can store PCM files to provide decent sound quality. However, due to distortions in the composed audio, DSD files are not much in trend.

2. Lossless Compressed Audio Format

Lossless Compressed audio format is a type of file that is compressed using some advanced methods without compromising with the quality of the sound. This means that when played, you experience the same acoustic excellence as that of the source, i.e. uncompressed audio. However, even though the lossless compressed files are comparatively small in size, they still occupy decent amount of space on the hard drive or any other storage media in use.

Some formats that fall under the lossless compressed category include:

1) Free Lossless Audio Code (FLAC)

At around half the size of the source sound file, FLAC offers the original audio quality without removing any acoustic information during compression. Being an opensource and royalty-free audio format, FLAC is even easier to get, and in most cases is used as an alternative to MP3.

Check some of the best FLAC editor programs >>

2) Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC)

Introduced by Apple Inc. and initially released as a proprietary product, ALAC was made royalty-free and opensource in 2011. Even though ALAC files are larger in size when compared to FLAC, the former format is used in iTunes and iOS as the latter isn’t supported by these platforms.

3. Lossy Compressed Audio Format

These are the highly compressed files that occupy significantly less amount of space on your storage media. However, during the compression process, some acoustic information is lost in order to reduce the file size. Nevertheless, if compressed correctly, the deterioration in the quality is almost negligible, and cannot be experienced unless the listener is quite experienced and the source recording is played next to the compressed audio simultaneously.

Some audio formats that fall under the lossy compressed category include:

1) MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3)

This is one of the most common file types and the best audio format for almost all media types that have sound. An MP3 file is free from the noises of the least significant in the composed audio. In addition, all the acoustic information with the frequency that normal human beings fail to catch (below 20Hz and above 20000Hz) is safely erased during compilation and compression. Furthermore, what makes MP3 the best audio file format is its ability to accommodate with almost all the devices of nearly any platform such as Android, Windows, iOS, Mac, etc.

Check this MP3 editor and convert video to MP3 easily.

2) OGG

This one, again, is not in fact an audio format but is a container for audio that generally stores Vorbis files. Although OGG files are way advanced in terms of sound quality and even offer higher compression ratio when compared with MP3, they are not much in use as many platforms and devices don’t support the format till date.

3) AU

AU is a format by Sun, DEC, and NeXT. It is yet another container that can hold both lossless and lossy files. AU files are mostly used in UNIX.

What’s the difference between common audio file formats like MP3, WAV, and FLAC? Watch the video below to learn more.


Part 2: How to Choose Best Audio Format?

If you are a media creator, and are into the business of preparing audio and video content for your clients or directly for the audience, it is imperative to understand what could be the best audio file format to compose the audiovisual files. Here are a few tips that you must keep in mind in this context before proceeding:

  • Uncompressed Audio

If the media type you are about to create is expected to be used for further editing before exporting to a different format, using an uncompressed audio format would be best as it offers a smooth and flawless post-production experience without giving much overhead to the processor.

  • Lossless Compressed Audio

If your audiences own highly sophisticated audio players with Hi-Fi speaker systems, and they are also good at recognizing and understanding the differences between poor and optimal audio quality, using lossless compressed audio format would be a good choice as it gives decent sound quality in smaller file size.

  • Compressed Audio

If you are preparing a media for home users and casual listeners, you can safely use an audio format that has been prepared using a higher compression ratio. In such a scenario, MP3 is the best audio format that not only offers the decent sound quality, it also occupies less amount of space on your storage media, thus enabling you to save more files at a given time.

Part 3: Which Audio File Formats Does YouTube Support?

At the time of this writing, YouTube supports two types of formats namely MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. Although both of these are video containers, they also hold audio files. Details about both these types are as follows:

  • MPEG-2
    • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above
    • Audio Codec: Dolby AC-3 or MPEG Layer II
  • MPEG-4
    • **Video Codec:**264
    • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above

Since many people nowadays produce videos in MP4 due to its wide range of supported devices and players and the fact that the container is used by majority of users worldwide, MPEG-4 with audio format could be mostly seen on YouTube.

Part 4: Audio Format in Filmora

Being one of the most versatile post-production tools preferred by many professional editors worldwide, Filmora comes with a variety of audio formats from all the three categories discussed above. Furthermore, Filmora also displays relevant information about each of the file types it offers.

Filmora9 Export Settings

The following table shows a list of formats and the details that Filmora supports:

Video Format Corresponding Audio Encoder Audio Type
MP4 Lossy Compressed
WMV WMA8, WMA9 Uncompressed
AVI MP3, PCM Lossy Compressed, Uncompressed
MOV Lossy Compressed
F4V Lossy Compressed
MKV MP3 Lossy Compressed
TS MPEG-2 Audio Lossy Compressed
3GP Lossy Compressed
MPEG-2 MPEG-2 Audio Lossy Compressed
WEBM Vorbis Lossy Compressed

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The quality of sound that you hear depends on various factors, and an appropriate audio format is one of them. While each type of acoustic file has its own significance, choosing the best audio format as per the target player, expected audience, and/or supporting videos or images (if any) is something that needs much consideration to offer a flawless listening experience.

With that said, here you will learn about some of the most common sound file types, which among them could be the best audio format according to your requirements, and a couple of important points that you must keep in might while picking an extension for your media preparations.

Using Filmora to Record & Edit & Save Audio Easily

Wondershare Filmora is a simple yet robust video editing software that allows you to save a video to mp3 easily. Besides, if you want to remove background noise from audio, or change the audio volume or remove unwanted audio parts from the video, you should definitely try Filmora.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version


Part 1: 10 Most Common Audio Formats

Before listing the most common audio file formats, it is important to understand the categories of the sound files. Every audio format that exists belongs to one (or more) category depending on the way it is being created and the characteristics it has.

In a nutshell, there are three major categories, including:

  • Uncompressed Audio Format
  • Lossless Compressed Audio Format
  • Lossy Compressed Audio Format

Below is a brief introduction of each of the classes listed above along with the audio file types that belong to them:

1. Uncompressed Audio Format

Uncompressed audio is the original sound that has been recorded directly from the source in the analog form, and then converted to a digital signal without any modifications or compressions. Because an uncompressed sound is prepared with no retouching or manipulations, it gives an as-is listening experience. Since no compression is done on such a file either, it occupies a remarkably huge amount of space on your storage media.

Some sound files that fall under this category include:

1) Pulse-Code Modulation (PCM)

A PCM file is the digital version of an analog waveform that is created by recording the audio samples, technically known as pulses. The PCM format is mostly used when creating optical media discs, typically the CDs and DVDs.

2) Waveform Audio File Format (WAV)

Generally used on the Windows platform, this audio format is not a file itself but a container that may contain both compressed or uncompressed files. However, in most cases, it is the latter that a WAV file has, and PCM format is one of them.

You may also interest: YouTube to WAV >>

3) Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF)

AIFF is almost identical to WAV format in its characteristics with the only difference that, unlike the latter, it was developed by Apple somewhere in 1988, and works as a container for both compressed and uncompressed audio files. While the compressed version of the format is called AIFF-C, the term Apple Loop is used when the scenario is otherwise. As it is with WAV, even AIFF files mostly contain uncompressed audio, that usually is PCM.

You may also like: Best AIFF to MP3 Converters >>

4) Data Stream Digital (DSD)

Used by Sony and Phillips, DSD is also not a format itself but a container that can store PCM files to provide decent sound quality. However, due to distortions in the composed audio, DSD files are not much in trend.

2. Lossless Compressed Audio Format

Lossless Compressed audio format is a type of file that is compressed using some advanced methods without compromising with the quality of the sound. This means that when played, you experience the same acoustic excellence as that of the source, i.e. uncompressed audio. However, even though the lossless compressed files are comparatively small in size, they still occupy decent amount of space on the hard drive or any other storage media in use.

Some formats that fall under the lossless compressed category include:

1) Free Lossless Audio Code (FLAC)

At around half the size of the source sound file, FLAC offers the original audio quality without removing any acoustic information during compression. Being an opensource and royalty-free audio format, FLAC is even easier to get, and in most cases is used as an alternative to MP3.

Check some of the best FLAC editor programs >>

2) Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC)

Introduced by Apple Inc. and initially released as a proprietary product, ALAC was made royalty-free and opensource in 2011. Even though ALAC files are larger in size when compared to FLAC, the former format is used in iTunes and iOS as the latter isn’t supported by these platforms.

3. Lossy Compressed Audio Format

These are the highly compressed files that occupy significantly less amount of space on your storage media. However, during the compression process, some acoustic information is lost in order to reduce the file size. Nevertheless, if compressed correctly, the deterioration in the quality is almost negligible, and cannot be experienced unless the listener is quite experienced and the source recording is played next to the compressed audio simultaneously.

Some audio formats that fall under the lossy compressed category include:

1) MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3)

This is one of the most common file types and the best audio format for almost all media types that have sound. An MP3 file is free from the noises of the least significant in the composed audio. In addition, all the acoustic information with the frequency that normal human beings fail to catch (below 20Hz and above 20000Hz) is safely erased during compilation and compression. Furthermore, what makes MP3 the best audio file format is its ability to accommodate with almost all the devices of nearly any platform such as Android, Windows, iOS, Mac, etc.

Check this MP3 editor and convert video to MP3 easily.

2) OGG

This one, again, is not in fact an audio format but is a container for audio that generally stores Vorbis files. Although OGG files are way advanced in terms of sound quality and even offer higher compression ratio when compared with MP3, they are not much in use as many platforms and devices don’t support the format till date.

3) AU

AU is a format by Sun, DEC, and NeXT. It is yet another container that can hold both lossless and lossy files. AU files are mostly used in UNIX.

What’s the difference between common audio file formats like MP3, WAV, and FLAC? Watch the video below to learn more.


Part 2: How to Choose Best Audio Format?

If you are a media creator, and are into the business of preparing audio and video content for your clients or directly for the audience, it is imperative to understand what could be the best audio file format to compose the audiovisual files. Here are a few tips that you must keep in mind in this context before proceeding:

  • Uncompressed Audio

If the media type you are about to create is expected to be used for further editing before exporting to a different format, using an uncompressed audio format would be best as it offers a smooth and flawless post-production experience without giving much overhead to the processor.

  • Lossless Compressed Audio

If your audiences own highly sophisticated audio players with Hi-Fi speaker systems, and they are also good at recognizing and understanding the differences between poor and optimal audio quality, using lossless compressed audio format would be a good choice as it gives decent sound quality in smaller file size.

  • Compressed Audio

If you are preparing a media for home users and casual listeners, you can safely use an audio format that has been prepared using a higher compression ratio. In such a scenario, MP3 is the best audio format that not only offers the decent sound quality, it also occupies less amount of space on your storage media, thus enabling you to save more files at a given time.

Part 3: Which Audio File Formats Does YouTube Support?

At the time of this writing, YouTube supports two types of formats namely MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. Although both of these are video containers, they also hold audio files. Details about both these types are as follows:

  • MPEG-2
    • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above
    • Audio Codec: Dolby AC-3 or MPEG Layer II
  • MPEG-4
    • **Video Codec:**264
    • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above

Since many people nowadays produce videos in MP4 due to its wide range of supported devices and players and the fact that the container is used by majority of users worldwide, MPEG-4 with audio format could be mostly seen on YouTube.

Part 4: Audio Format in Filmora

Being one of the most versatile post-production tools preferred by many professional editors worldwide, Filmora comes with a variety of audio formats from all the three categories discussed above. Furthermore, Filmora also displays relevant information about each of the file types it offers.

Filmora9 Export Settings

The following table shows a list of formats and the details that Filmora supports:

Video Format Corresponding Audio Encoder Audio Type
MP4 Lossy Compressed
WMV WMA8, WMA9 Uncompressed
AVI MP3, PCM Lossy Compressed, Uncompressed
MOV Lossy Compressed
F4V Lossy Compressed
MKV MP3 Lossy Compressed
TS MPEG-2 Audio Lossy Compressed
3GP Lossy Compressed
MPEG-2 MPEG-2 Audio Lossy Compressed
WEBM Vorbis Lossy Compressed

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The quality of sound that you hear depends on various factors, and an appropriate audio format is one of them. While each type of acoustic file has its own significance, choosing the best audio format as per the target player, expected audience, and/or supporting videos or images (if any) is something that needs much consideration to offer a flawless listening experience.

With that said, here you will learn about some of the most common sound file types, which among them could be the best audio format according to your requirements, and a couple of important points that you must keep in might while picking an extension for your media preparations.

Using Filmora to Record & Edit & Save Audio Easily

Wondershare Filmora is a simple yet robust video editing software that allows you to save a video to mp3 easily. Besides, if you want to remove background noise from audio, or change the audio volume or remove unwanted audio parts from the video, you should definitely try Filmora.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version


Part 1: 10 Most Common Audio Formats

Before listing the most common audio file formats, it is important to understand the categories of the sound files. Every audio format that exists belongs to one (or more) category depending on the way it is being created and the characteristics it has.

In a nutshell, there are three major categories, including:

  • Uncompressed Audio Format
  • Lossless Compressed Audio Format
  • Lossy Compressed Audio Format

Below is a brief introduction of each of the classes listed above along with the audio file types that belong to them:

1. Uncompressed Audio Format

Uncompressed audio is the original sound that has been recorded directly from the source in the analog form, and then converted to a digital signal without any modifications or compressions. Because an uncompressed sound is prepared with no retouching or manipulations, it gives an as-is listening experience. Since no compression is done on such a file either, it occupies a remarkably huge amount of space on your storage media.

Some sound files that fall under this category include:

1) Pulse-Code Modulation (PCM)

A PCM file is the digital version of an analog waveform that is created by recording the audio samples, technically known as pulses. The PCM format is mostly used when creating optical media discs, typically the CDs and DVDs.

2) Waveform Audio File Format (WAV)

Generally used on the Windows platform, this audio format is not a file itself but a container that may contain both compressed or uncompressed files. However, in most cases, it is the latter that a WAV file has, and PCM format is one of them.

You may also interest: YouTube to WAV >>

3) Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF)

AIFF is almost identical to WAV format in its characteristics with the only difference that, unlike the latter, it was developed by Apple somewhere in 1988, and works as a container for both compressed and uncompressed audio files. While the compressed version of the format is called AIFF-C, the term Apple Loop is used when the scenario is otherwise. As it is with WAV, even AIFF files mostly contain uncompressed audio, that usually is PCM.

You may also like: Best AIFF to MP3 Converters >>

4) Data Stream Digital (DSD)

Used by Sony and Phillips, DSD is also not a format itself but a container that can store PCM files to provide decent sound quality. However, due to distortions in the composed audio, DSD files are not much in trend.

2. Lossless Compressed Audio Format

Lossless Compressed audio format is a type of file that is compressed using some advanced methods without compromising with the quality of the sound. This means that when played, you experience the same acoustic excellence as that of the source, i.e. uncompressed audio. However, even though the lossless compressed files are comparatively small in size, they still occupy decent amount of space on the hard drive or any other storage media in use.

Some formats that fall under the lossless compressed category include:

1) Free Lossless Audio Code (FLAC)

At around half the size of the source sound file, FLAC offers the original audio quality without removing any acoustic information during compression. Being an opensource and royalty-free audio format, FLAC is even easier to get, and in most cases is used as an alternative to MP3.

Check some of the best FLAC editor programs >>

2) Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC)

Introduced by Apple Inc. and initially released as a proprietary product, ALAC was made royalty-free and opensource in 2011. Even though ALAC files are larger in size when compared to FLAC, the former format is used in iTunes and iOS as the latter isn’t supported by these platforms.

3. Lossy Compressed Audio Format

These are the highly compressed files that occupy significantly less amount of space on your storage media. However, during the compression process, some acoustic information is lost in order to reduce the file size. Nevertheless, if compressed correctly, the deterioration in the quality is almost negligible, and cannot be experienced unless the listener is quite experienced and the source recording is played next to the compressed audio simultaneously.

Some audio formats that fall under the lossy compressed category include:

1) MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3)

This is one of the most common file types and the best audio format for almost all media types that have sound. An MP3 file is free from the noises of the least significant in the composed audio. In addition, all the acoustic information with the frequency that normal human beings fail to catch (below 20Hz and above 20000Hz) is safely erased during compilation and compression. Furthermore, what makes MP3 the best audio file format is its ability to accommodate with almost all the devices of nearly any platform such as Android, Windows, iOS, Mac, etc.

Check this MP3 editor and convert video to MP3 easily.

2) OGG

This one, again, is not in fact an audio format but is a container for audio that generally stores Vorbis files. Although OGG files are way advanced in terms of sound quality and even offer higher compression ratio when compared with MP3, they are not much in use as many platforms and devices don’t support the format till date.

3) AU

AU is a format by Sun, DEC, and NeXT. It is yet another container that can hold both lossless and lossy files. AU files are mostly used in UNIX.

What’s the difference between common audio file formats like MP3, WAV, and FLAC? Watch the video below to learn more.


Part 2: How to Choose Best Audio Format?

If you are a media creator, and are into the business of preparing audio and video content for your clients or directly for the audience, it is imperative to understand what could be the best audio file format to compose the audiovisual files. Here are a few tips that you must keep in mind in this context before proceeding:

  • Uncompressed Audio

If the media type you are about to create is expected to be used for further editing before exporting to a different format, using an uncompressed audio format would be best as it offers a smooth and flawless post-production experience without giving much overhead to the processor.

  • Lossless Compressed Audio

If your audiences own highly sophisticated audio players with Hi-Fi speaker systems, and they are also good at recognizing and understanding the differences between poor and optimal audio quality, using lossless compressed audio format would be a good choice as it gives decent sound quality in smaller file size.

  • Compressed Audio

If you are preparing a media for home users and casual listeners, you can safely use an audio format that has been prepared using a higher compression ratio. In such a scenario, MP3 is the best audio format that not only offers the decent sound quality, it also occupies less amount of space on your storage media, thus enabling you to save more files at a given time.

Part 3: Which Audio File Formats Does YouTube Support?

At the time of this writing, YouTube supports two types of formats namely MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. Although both of these are video containers, they also hold audio files. Details about both these types are as follows:

  • MPEG-2
    • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above
    • Audio Codec: Dolby AC-3 or MPEG Layer II
  • MPEG-4
    • **Video Codec:**264
    • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above

Since many people nowadays produce videos in MP4 due to its wide range of supported devices and players and the fact that the container is used by majority of users worldwide, MPEG-4 with audio format could be mostly seen on YouTube.

Part 4: Audio Format in Filmora

Being one of the most versatile post-production tools preferred by many professional editors worldwide, Filmora comes with a variety of audio formats from all the three categories discussed above. Furthermore, Filmora also displays relevant information about each of the file types it offers.

Filmora9 Export Settings

The following table shows a list of formats and the details that Filmora supports:

Video Format Corresponding Audio Encoder Audio Type
MP4 Lossy Compressed
WMV WMA8, WMA9 Uncompressed
AVI MP3, PCM Lossy Compressed, Uncompressed
MOV Lossy Compressed
F4V Lossy Compressed
MKV MP3 Lossy Compressed
TS MPEG-2 Audio Lossy Compressed
3GP Lossy Compressed
MPEG-2 MPEG-2 Audio Lossy Compressed
WEBM Vorbis Lossy Compressed

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The quality of sound that you hear depends on various factors, and an appropriate audio format is one of them. While each type of acoustic file has its own significance, choosing the best audio format as per the target player, expected audience, and/or supporting videos or images (if any) is something that needs much consideration to offer a flawless listening experience.

With that said, here you will learn about some of the most common sound file types, which among them could be the best audio format according to your requirements, and a couple of important points that you must keep in might while picking an extension for your media preparations.

Using Filmora to Record & Edit & Save Audio Easily

Wondershare Filmora is a simple yet robust video editing software that allows you to save a video to mp3 easily. Besides, if you want to remove background noise from audio, or change the audio volume or remove unwanted audio parts from the video, you should definitely try Filmora.

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version


Part 1: 10 Most Common Audio Formats

Before listing the most common audio file formats, it is important to understand the categories of the sound files. Every audio format that exists belongs to one (or more) category depending on the way it is being created and the characteristics it has.

In a nutshell, there are three major categories, including:

  • Uncompressed Audio Format
  • Lossless Compressed Audio Format
  • Lossy Compressed Audio Format

Below is a brief introduction of each of the classes listed above along with the audio file types that belong to them:

1. Uncompressed Audio Format

Uncompressed audio is the original sound that has been recorded directly from the source in the analog form, and then converted to a digital signal without any modifications or compressions. Because an uncompressed sound is prepared with no retouching or manipulations, it gives an as-is listening experience. Since no compression is done on such a file either, it occupies a remarkably huge amount of space on your storage media.

Some sound files that fall under this category include:

1) Pulse-Code Modulation (PCM)

A PCM file is the digital version of an analog waveform that is created by recording the audio samples, technically known as pulses. The PCM format is mostly used when creating optical media discs, typically the CDs and DVDs.

2) Waveform Audio File Format (WAV)

Generally used on the Windows platform, this audio format is not a file itself but a container that may contain both compressed or uncompressed files. However, in most cases, it is the latter that a WAV file has, and PCM format is one of them.

You may also interest: YouTube to WAV >>

3) Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF)

AIFF is almost identical to WAV format in its characteristics with the only difference that, unlike the latter, it was developed by Apple somewhere in 1988, and works as a container for both compressed and uncompressed audio files. While the compressed version of the format is called AIFF-C, the term Apple Loop is used when the scenario is otherwise. As it is with WAV, even AIFF files mostly contain uncompressed audio, that usually is PCM.

You may also like: Best AIFF to MP3 Converters >>

4) Data Stream Digital (DSD)

Used by Sony and Phillips, DSD is also not a format itself but a container that can store PCM files to provide decent sound quality. However, due to distortions in the composed audio, DSD files are not much in trend.

2. Lossless Compressed Audio Format

Lossless Compressed audio format is a type of file that is compressed using some advanced methods without compromising with the quality of the sound. This means that when played, you experience the same acoustic excellence as that of the source, i.e. uncompressed audio. However, even though the lossless compressed files are comparatively small in size, they still occupy decent amount of space on the hard drive or any other storage media in use.

Some formats that fall under the lossless compressed category include:

1) Free Lossless Audio Code (FLAC)

At around half the size of the source sound file, FLAC offers the original audio quality without removing any acoustic information during compression. Being an opensource and royalty-free audio format, FLAC is even easier to get, and in most cases is used as an alternative to MP3.

Check some of the best FLAC editor programs >>

2) Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC)

Introduced by Apple Inc. and initially released as a proprietary product, ALAC was made royalty-free and opensource in 2011. Even though ALAC files are larger in size when compared to FLAC, the former format is used in iTunes and iOS as the latter isn’t supported by these platforms.

3. Lossy Compressed Audio Format

These are the highly compressed files that occupy significantly less amount of space on your storage media. However, during the compression process, some acoustic information is lost in order to reduce the file size. Nevertheless, if compressed correctly, the deterioration in the quality is almost negligible, and cannot be experienced unless the listener is quite experienced and the source recording is played next to the compressed audio simultaneously.

Some audio formats that fall under the lossy compressed category include:

1) MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3)

This is one of the most common file types and the best audio format for almost all media types that have sound. An MP3 file is free from the noises of the least significant in the composed audio. In addition, all the acoustic information with the frequency that normal human beings fail to catch (below 20Hz and above 20000Hz) is safely erased during compilation and compression. Furthermore, what makes MP3 the best audio file format is its ability to accommodate with almost all the devices of nearly any platform such as Android, Windows, iOS, Mac, etc.

Check this MP3 editor and convert video to MP3 easily.

2) OGG

This one, again, is not in fact an audio format but is a container for audio that generally stores Vorbis files. Although OGG files are way advanced in terms of sound quality and even offer higher compression ratio when compared with MP3, they are not much in use as many platforms and devices don’t support the format till date.

3) AU

AU is a format by Sun, DEC, and NeXT. It is yet another container that can hold both lossless and lossy files. AU files are mostly used in UNIX.

What’s the difference between common audio file formats like MP3, WAV, and FLAC? Watch the video below to learn more.


Part 2: How to Choose Best Audio Format?

If you are a media creator, and are into the business of preparing audio and video content for your clients or directly for the audience, it is imperative to understand what could be the best audio file format to compose the audiovisual files. Here are a few tips that you must keep in mind in this context before proceeding:

  • Uncompressed Audio

If the media type you are about to create is expected to be used for further editing before exporting to a different format, using an uncompressed audio format would be best as it offers a smooth and flawless post-production experience without giving much overhead to the processor.

  • Lossless Compressed Audio

If your audiences own highly sophisticated audio players with Hi-Fi speaker systems, and they are also good at recognizing and understanding the differences between poor and optimal audio quality, using lossless compressed audio format would be a good choice as it gives decent sound quality in smaller file size.

  • Compressed Audio

If you are preparing a media for home users and casual listeners, you can safely use an audio format that has been prepared using a higher compression ratio. In such a scenario, MP3 is the best audio format that not only offers the decent sound quality, it also occupies less amount of space on your storage media, thus enabling you to save more files at a given time.

Part 3: Which Audio File Formats Does YouTube Support?

At the time of this writing, YouTube supports two types of formats namely MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. Although both of these are video containers, they also hold audio files. Details about both these types are as follows:

  • MPEG-2
    • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above
    • Audio Codec: Dolby AC-3 or MPEG Layer II
  • MPEG-4
    • **Video Codec:**264
    • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above

Since many people nowadays produce videos in MP4 due to its wide range of supported devices and players and the fact that the container is used by majority of users worldwide, MPEG-4 with audio format could be mostly seen on YouTube.

Part 4: Audio Format in Filmora

Being one of the most versatile post-production tools preferred by many professional editors worldwide, Filmora comes with a variety of audio formats from all the three categories discussed above. Furthermore, Filmora also displays relevant information about each of the file types it offers.

Filmora9 Export Settings

The following table shows a list of formats and the details that Filmora supports:

Video Format Corresponding Audio Encoder Audio Type
MP4 Lossy Compressed
WMV WMA8, WMA9 Uncompressed
AVI MP3, PCM Lossy Compressed, Uncompressed
MOV Lossy Compressed
F4V Lossy Compressed
MKV MP3 Lossy Compressed
TS MPEG-2 Audio Lossy Compressed
3GP Lossy Compressed
MPEG-2 MPEG-2 Audio Lossy Compressed
WEBM Vorbis Lossy Compressed

author avatar

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Also read:

  • Title: Updated How to Change Pitch without Losing Quality in Audacity?
  • Author: Jacob
  • Created at : 2024-06-18 16:12:41
  • Updated at : 2024-06-19 16:12:41
  • Link: https://audio-shaping.techidaily.com/updated-how-to-change-pitch-without-losing-quality-in-audacity/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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Updated How to Change Pitch without Losing Quality in Audacity?